


Ever since I met you (No vacancy)

by MrsWinterBreath



Category: Captain America (Movies), Gifted (Movie 2017), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Awkward Flirting, First Kiss, First Meetings, Flirting, Fluff, Happy Ending, Kid Fic, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Mutual Pining, No Angst, Parent Steve Rogers, Parent Tony Stark, Romance, Slow Burn, no angst no drama just fluff and happy things, the boys are on the beach, very mild actually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:07:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26157760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsWinterBreath/pseuds/MrsWinterBreath
Summary: Tony and Steve have many things in common. They both are single dads, they both have a very smart daughter, and they both happen to spend their holidays on the same beach.Being a single father is not easy, and nor is trying to fall in love again when the first time hurt so much. But some things are just inevitable."Morgan’s friend groans. “Here he goes” she mumbles. “I’m here!” she then exclaims, waving her arms.The man approaches their little spot on the sand, and Tony has to remind himself it’s rude to stare at strangers, because he’sdefinitelybeen staring.Indeed the man is tall, has broad shoulders and a slim waist. Glowing skin and golden hair, and when he exhales, relieved at having found the little girl, he shows the brightest of smiles."
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 15
Kudos: 162





	Ever since I met you (No vacancy)

“It’s not gonna hold!” a chirpy voice affirms. “We should fix the proportions!”

Tony smirks at that, his chest filled with pride, while he smiles all by himself.

Another squeaky voice confirms the first statement. “Maybe we should add three centimetres on the left?”  
A few seconds of silence. “Actually, the height is double time that side, so we should add three _point five_ centimetres.”

At the suggestion Tony frowns. He’s laying face down on a beach chair, trying to get a tan on his back, so it’s not really that easy for him to see what’s going on by his side. He half opens one eye just to check everything is okay, and most importantly- _who_ the hell has just outsmarted his very bright and very smart daughter.

He sees his little Morgan still sitting legs crossed on the sand, her pink kerchief precariously holding on her ruffled hair. She’s filling a bucket with sand and eyeing in a critic way at the construction of a castle in front of her. Tony smiles again, amused by how his babygirl is not only playing with sand like all the other kids, but is actually taking the act of building constructions very seriously.

“Or maybe we could rotate this tower right here, in this way it would be proportioned” the other small voice talks again. “We would just have to make that fort a little wider.”

Finally, Tony sits up. He has never considered himself to be the kind of parent who competes for his child to be better than other kids, but for god’s sake, his daughter is a _genius_ , who can be the nerdy kid who’s speaking over her?

He straights up his back and cocks his head, and almost loses a beat when he rests his eyes on a slim and blonde little girl sat legs crossed too near his Morgan, studying the sand building with the same intensity he dedicates to math equations.

“Yeah, you’re right” Morgan bubbles, and Tony realises he has been staring at the kids for a little too long.

“Morgan” he calls, and the brunette head of the girl snaps on him.

“Daddy!” she exclaims grinning widely, a teeth gap visible inside her mouth.  
The other girl’s head turns up too, and she looks at him with curiosity.

“Who’s your new friend?” Tony asks softly, kind of regretting his previous burst of antagonism.

Morgan turns to look at her friend, still smiling. “She’s Mary!” she replies loudly. “Mary, this is my daddy.”

Mary gives him a sheepishly smile, but her eyes are bright, and Tony suddenly feels uncomfortable. “You’ve met her today?” he asks to his daughter. Sounds weird that the beach of Palm Springs hosts two little geniuses at the same time, but yeah, life is full of coincidences, so.

Morgan laughs loudly, and her friend giggles too, at which Tony feels uncomfortable again, since it is not very pleasing to be laughed at by two little girls. “Mary is a friend from school!” Morgan explains. At which Tony relaxes a little bit. Of course she’s smart too, then, considering Morgan attends a school of prodigy kids. “I saw her this morning in the hall of the hotel” she tells.

Mary nods firmly at Morgan’s story, and the girl goes on. “Haven’t you paid attention to me? I told you so as we were having breakfast!” She frowns a little annoyed, and Tony tightens his lips with guilt.

He remembers how the girl kept on talking that morning, but he was still thinking about all the appointments he had to postpone for that week. He knows this is the only time he has to spend with Morgan, since the rest of the summer she’s gonna stay with her mom, and he really wants to be free to stay with her the most, but his company is not gonna run by itself, and he’s kinda scared he’s not going to be able to balance his businessman’s duty with his father’s duty.

“I know” he mumbles. “Yeah, yeah, I remember now.”

Morgan frowns. “You’re lying!” she points out, but before Tony can find an excuse to that, she chuckles with her friend.

“Dads always lie!” Mary says squinting her eyes with laughter. “Mine does too! He thinks I do not know that, but I do.”

Tony smiles apologetically. He feels his cheeks coloring at being called out, but the girls seem to be having fun, so that’s not really a problem.

He’s still working his way out of such embarrassment when a voice makes him turn around.  
“Mary!” a man calls, and the giggles of the little girls cease on the spot.

Morgan’s friend groans. “Here he goes” she mumbles. “I’m here!” she then exclaims, waving her arms.  
The man approaches their little spot on the sand, and Tony has to remind himself it’s rude to stare at strangers, because he’s _definitely_ been staring.

Indeed the man is tall, has broad shoulders and a slim waist. Glowing skin and golden hair, and when he exhales, relieved at having found the little girl, he shows the brightest of smiles.

“Mary! I’ve told you not to run away without saying anything” the stranger scolds, his perfectly pinched eyebrows narrowed with reproach. “You made me worry.”

Mary’s shoulders slump. “I’m sorry pop” she whines. “I just wanted to play with Morgan” she holds the other girl’s hand to make her dad see her, and the man’s frown softens.

“You just had to ask, Mary. You know I let you do what you want, but first-“

“I have to ask, yeah, I know” the girl grunts.

Tony looks at their interaction a little entranced, still stealing glances of the hot stranger in front of him, when the man finally turns and looks at him.

“I’m really sorry she bothered you. She can sound as a showoff, but I promise she means no harm” he says with a rueful expression.

Shrugging, Tony shushes his apologies away. “Don’t worry” he scoffs. “I know what it means to have a smartass kid” he assures.

“ _Daddy_!” Morgan reproaches Tony’s usage of bad words right away.

“I’m sorry!” he raises his hands as a sign of surrender, then he turns to look at the stranger again. “See? Can be a pain in the _butt_ , sometimes” he says, throwing a glance at his daughter when he says ‘butt’, at which Morgan nods firmly.

The man chuckles. “Yeah, it’s a little annoying when they remind you just how dumb of a child you were in comparison” he jokes tilting his head, a small embarrassed movement that Tony finds adorable.

He raises an eyebrow faking cluelessness. “Oh, I wouldn’t know” he shrugs. “I was quite of a genius myself, so-“ He’s not usually one to brag, but he saw the chance of being flirty, and took it without a second thought.

The man slightly blushes at that. “Oh, well- then I guess it was just me who’s always been average.”

 _Yeah, average_ , Tony thinks, _you look everything but average_. “So you telling me she took everything from her mother?” he asks, mostly to test the waters. He cannot deny this stranger is quite interesting, but he would never interfere with a marriage, so it’s better to set things right away.

The blond man’s smile dies on the spot and his face grimaces. His jaw twitches as he says “Yeah, she was a very smart woman.” His voice is full of fondness, and Tony feels like a moron.

“Oh” he indeed bubbles embarrassed. “I’m sorry” he shifts on his feet, and he gets a glimpse of the girls’ castle, detailed and most of all _proportioned_.

“No worries” the man says, a smile back on his handsome face. “I’m Steve, by the way. Mary’s father” he introduces himself offering one hand.

Tony stares at it for an instant, feeling a little off-balance- if because of the hot sun or the hot stranger he doesn't really know.  
Then he reaches out with his hand and shakes Steve’s one. “I’m Tony, Tony Stark” he says, mostly because he thinks this Steve guy must have realised by now that he’s talking to the owner of Stark’s Industries.

Steve tilts his head. “Oh,” he gapes. “We’re using full names? Then I’m Steve Rogers.”

Tony chuckles, thinking Steve is making fun of him, but when the man frowns without a clue, he decides not to dig into it. It’s not that nice to ask “What? You don’t know who I am?” as some kind of self bloated narcissist, which he is _not_.

“Daddy, I’m hungry” Morgan whines gripping at his leg, saving him from the embarrassment.

“Yeah, sweetheart, we’re going to dinner, don’t worry” Tony reassures her, before turning to the man another time.

Steve smiles. “Yeah, we’re going too.” He grabs Mary’s hand to help her stand up. The girl bats the sand off her knees with a groan.

“So-“ Steve says looking at him, holding his daughter’s hand.

Tony grins encouraging him to go on, but Steve scratches the back of his neck. “Yeah, have a good meal” he wishes, his cheeks faintly flushing.

The thing highly pleases Tony, and when the blond man waves his hand and turns to walk away, Tony pushes himself to be a little bolder.  
“Steve!” he calls, ignoring Morgan’s tugs at his leg to go eating.

Steve turns on the spot, and flashes him another bright smile. The sunlight of the golden hour hits him ruthlessly, and he looks like a damn greek god under it.

Tony curses under his breath. “Can I offer you a drink? Later?” he asks, and why is he feeling so nervous?, he’s not fifteen anymore.

Steve brights up even more. He nods. “It would be a pleasure, Tony Stark” he beams. “See, you later, then.”

Tony smiles back, his chest pounding with expectation. “See you later.”

***

“You like him, don’t you?” Mary looks up at him with a knowing smirk on her face. She’s splayed on the king size bed, her legs swaying up in the air and her arms falling from the mattress.

Steve groans out loud. “Shut up” he replies with a fond voice.

Mary sits cross legged on the bed and stares at him. “Why that pretty shirt, then?”  
She grins mischievously, and Steve tosses a pillow in her direction. She catches it with a giggle.

Steve turns to look at himself in the mirror. It’s been two minutes and he still hasn’t decided if the shirt should be buttoned up or down. The button up would look too formal, but the button down is maybe too much. After all, this Tony Stark offered to buy him a drink, maybe he just wants to be friends, that’s not necessarily a date.

“Button down, definitely” Mary seems to read his mind and Steve looks at her with a raised eyebrow.

“You’re way too good-humoured tonight, miss” he points out.

The little girl sticks her tongue out and Steve rolls his eyes. He doesn’t want to give her something to complain about. This is a vacation for the two of them only, and the last thing he wants is for Mary to think he’s ignoring her. But he cannot deny the man he met a couple of hours before is still floating in his thoughts.

Tony is without any doubt handsome. Just that.  
Steve doesn’t really know how to describe it, he cannot name something in his appearance that makes Tony so attractive, but he just is. Gorgeous.  
Maybe it was the bare chest, or the red swim-trunks which made a stark contrast with his tanned and toned legs, but Steve saw in him a special glow that left him speechless. And to think he was about to leave just like that! He’s grateful Tony is not as shy as him and proposed to go out.  
_Just a friendly meeting_ , he reminds himself. _Not a date_.

He looks at himself in the mirror, puts some other gel in his hair to make it look fancy, sprays around more cologne. _Not a date_ , he repeats another time, because he’s acting like it is, and he’s already picturing afternoons spent with Tony on the beach, and he needs to stop this. He’s gonna break his ow heart all by himself.

“You know I don’t mind, right?” Mary’s squeaky voice wakes him from his spiral of thoughts and he looks at her through the mirror. He hints at a feeble smile, but he feels the need to lower his eyes.

They have not talked about this. Or at least, they _have_ , but Steve always tried to dismiss the topic. He never wanted Mary to think that she was not his priority, and most of the times he tells himself that she’s still young, and he should only worry about her, not about any other relationship.  
And still, it’s not like this kinda friendly date is so important, but it’s the first time Steve is going out since his wife passed away, and Mary is well aware of that.

“It’s been two years” she adds indeed, and she tilts her head with a comforting smile. The act makes Steve’s heart grow soft, thinking how his own daughter is trying to relieve him on the topic.

He smiles too. “I know” he murmurs, and at this point he turns around to look at her in her eyes.  
“This is not what you think it is” he warns, his voice firm, but Mary rolls her eyes.

She shushes his words with an hand. “Alright, this is _not_ ,” she concedes. “But it’s going to happen sooner or later, and I want you to know I’m okay with it” she assures. She speaks with a resolute tone, and she seems so old for her age. _Very smart kid_ , Steve thinks.

“Okay” he replies.

She frowns. “Just like that?” she asks.

Steve nods firmly. “Yes, you’re right” he repeats. “It’s going to happen, maybe, and I’m glad you’re okay with it” he confesses. She’s always going to come before anyone else.

“But-?” she offers, always a step ahead him.

He chuckles. “ _But_ -“ he goes on. “If there is something that makes you uncomfortable even in the slightest way- I want you to tell me” he orders.

She nods with some sort of severity. “I promise” she claps back, then she makes a small smile. “I like Tony, though.”

Steve has to hide a smile too, before he shakes his head. “I’m not talking just about Tony-“ he says.

Mary rolls her eyes again. “Yeah, yeah I got it” she affirms. “You know I always tell you when things annoy me” she shrugs.

Steve chuckles lightly. “Good girl” he cheers. He looks at himself back in the mirror, his fingers resting hesitantly on the buttons.  
Mary raises an eyebrow, but doesn’t say anything.

Steve sighs theatrically. “Button down, then.”

***

When Steve arrives, he’s wearing a light blue shirt that matches his eyes. Tony looks at him with a pleasant smile, which only intensifies when he notices the shirt is button down. He can trace the line of Steve’s lean neck, his skin slightly flushed because of the morning sun.

“There you go!” he greets when Steve comes closer. He has a joyous face, and Tony relaxes just at seeing it.

He was a little nervous, thinking about how straightforward he had asked the man out. Since the divorce, he had hooked up with people here and there, but it was always casual, he didn’t really put too much effort in it.  
This night he has dressed properly, a soft linen shirt and he has even trimmed his goatee to be presentable. He has no idea how this night is going to end like, but he’s weirdly not expecting anything at all. He’s just happy to spend some time with Steve. And he’s glad Steve seems happy to.

“Tony!” Steve greets back, beaming in the dim light of the patio outside the hotel. “Should we go?” he asks.

Tony nods smiling too, contentment filling his chest, as he leads the way to Steve. They walk side by side, and Steve seems to be nervous too.

“First time coming here?” Tony prompts. Simple talk. He can do it.

Steve tilts his head. “No, actually, we used to come here a lot, years back” he mumbles, some sort of fidgeting tone in his voice.

Tony ponders his words, and realises Steve is probably talking about a time in which Mary’s mother was still with them.  
He nods quietly. “Got it” he says, before clearing his throat. “So, there is this pub- quite nice, if you ask me” he bubbles changing the topic.

Steve seems to appreciate it, and gives him a focused look.

Tony goes on. “It’s not too crowded, you can hear what the person in front of you is saying- I like it” he grins. “That’s where we’re going, does it sound good?” he asks.

Steve nods vigorously. “More than good!” he exclaims. “I like to hear what the person in front of me is saying” he adds, and at that Tony chuckles.

“Yeah, that’s kinda the reason why people hang out together.”

Steve makes a face at it, confusion clear in his eyes, and Tony raises an eyebrow. “Are we- hanging out?” Steve tentatively asks, and Tony frowns ever more.

“Yeah?” he says. “I mean- it’s a little too soon to say so, we haven’t even had our first date yet, but I’m positive.”

Steve laughs heartily, his eyes now relaxed. “Got it” he claps back. “Hanging out, first date. Got it” he makes another smile shaking his head.

Tony’s brows draw closer. “Is this okay? I assumed you were interested but maybe I jumped to conclusions-“

Steve doesn’t let him finish his sentence, just pushes him lightly to make Tony keep on walking. “We’ll see how the night goes on, Tony Stark” he states, but his tone is playful. Tony grins.

The inside of the pub is indeed not too crowded. They find a table in the corner of the place, and sit down waiting for the waiter. When he approaches them, Tony orders for them both, just to remind Steve that he’s his host. Steve doesn’t complain at Tony’s order, he even seems to enjoy the wooing.

“So, Tony Stark” Steve says once their drinks are in front of them. He takes his glass and takes a sip. “What do you do for a living?” he asks.

Tony huffs. ‘Well- I’m literally _Tony Stark_ for a living’ he would like to say, but he likes the fact that Steve doesn’t seem to have ever heard of him. He shrugs. “I work for a company” he explains. “Takes most part of my time.”

Steve listens intently as Tony describes what he exactly does in this industry, the things he invents, what he designs, leaving out the fact that he owns the industry itself. He tells himself that the proper CEO is Pepper, so he’s technically not lying, just omitting, but still.

“That sounds tiring” Steve comments. He’s so focused on Tony talking that he has not even touched his drink again.

“It is indeed!” Tony claps back. “I don’t have a lot of free time. This, for example, is the only free week I conceded myself to relax and finally spend some time with my daughter.”

Steve nods. “Well, you stress yourself so much with work for you daughter all the same, so I don’t think you have something to reprimand yourself for” he says, and his words warm Tony from the inside. It’s nice to hear some comfort sometime.

“Yeah, I tell that to myself too” he admits. “But you know, when you notice your daughter is growing and you’re missing most of it- that’s kinda sad.”

He sees Morgan a lot, he really does. And Pepper is a sweetheart, and they never disagreed on any terms about their divorce, but Morgan inevitably spends most of her time with her mother, and there are weeks when he and Pepper are both overwhelmed with work and cannot really give much attention to their daughter. The only difference is that once she’s home, Pepper gets to see her, while Tony doesn’t.

“I get the feeling” Steve murmurs, his shoulders slumping the slightest bit. “Being a parent is not exactly the easiest job.”

Tony chuckles and nods. “Unfortunately, no” he concedes. He then leans back on his chair and focuses his gaze on the man in front of him.

The dim light of the pub makes his blonde hair shine, and his eyes glint when they lock with Tony’s.  
Tony grabs his own glass, drinks from it not breaking the eye contact, then sets it back on the table, circling the rim of it with a finger.  
“What about you, Steve?” he asks, his voice leaking a flirty tone, and he smiles with amusement when he notices Steve’s cheeks getting colored.

“What about me, you ask?” Steve says, taking his drink too, probably so to know what to do with his hands. Tony nods with an encouraging smile.  
“It’s gonna sound so lame, now that you told me about your business-“ he fumbles. He brings an hand to his neck nape and scratches it in embarrassment.

Tony shakes his head. “Believe me, I doubt anything about you could be lame.”

At the praise, Steve blushes again. “I’m sort of an artist” he fidgets, lowering his eyes. “I mean- I’m trying to. I actually work as a designer on commission, but my dream is- you know- to just dedicate myself to my passion and for it to be enough.” He drinks again, a little more hastily, and tries to avoid Tony’s eyes.

“This sounds incredibly interesting” Tony claps back with a resolute tone. “I love art, even though I’m probably too dumb to understand what’s going on.”

Steve laughs lightly but Tony goes on. “I’m serious!” he states. “I think what you do is great and I feel you on the ‘I want do my passion as a work’ thing. I want it too. Hope one day you’ll get there” he smiles sincerely and Steve seems to be appeased by his words.

“I think you’re not that dumb to understand what’s going on” Steve says smiling back.

“No, no! You don’t understand” Tony laughs. “I’m really dumb, you just have to get to know me” he jokes.

Steve chuckles again, shaking his head. “You’re literally a genius, Tony. Your _daughter_ is a genius, you can’t possibly be dumb” he points out.

Tony keeps on shaking his head, still laughing and waving his hand dismissively. “You’d be surprised” he claps back. That gets him a bright and wide smile from Steve, his cheeks lovely flushed. Tony has to drink with more rush this time, his stomach doing funny things not only for the alcol. He really likes this guy.

They spend the rest of the night joking and flirting way too openly, and Tony offers another round of drinks, and Steve doesn’t seem to be affected by the alcol in his body.

“Wow, you really have a high tolerance of that, huh?” Tony exclaims, feeling his own head kinda floating with contentment and lightness.

Steve shrugs with nonchalance, emptying his drink with just one gulp. “When you’re in the army, you learn to do a lot of things” he flashes Tony a smirk, and Tony chuckles loudly.

Then he widens his eyes as Steve’s words sink in his brain. “Wait!” he calls. “You were in the army?”  
He checks Steve’s body not that subtly, making his eyes linger on his biceps flexing on the table. He drinks again, still looking at Steve’s arms.

Steve laughs at his ogling. “Yeah, but I quitted” he informs. “I’m more of a quiet person, you know” he points his blue eyes in Tony’s ones, and Tony feels another clench to his stomach.  
_Damn_ , how he likes this guy!

“I’m glad for it” he blurts out.

Steve raises an eyebrow. “Why so?” he asks.

Tony hints at another smirk, and blames the drink for his next answer. “Otherwise you wouldn’t be here” he says. “You would be somewhere around the world, all focused on some super secret plan, dressed in khakis- wait!” he trails off, suddenly realising something. “You actually wold look so good in khakis.”

Steve bursts out laughing, shaking his head at Tony’s praise. “I can’t believe you” he reproaches fondly.

Tony puts his hands up. “I’m always honest, and some things need to be said” he affirms firmly. “You’d be too sexy to even look at” he jokes, but he’s actually just stating a very true thought going around his head.

Steve chuckles back, then smiles widely. “I highly appreciate the compliment” he replies. “But I have the feeling you’ve drunk a little too much, maybe we should go.”

Tony groans and pretends to pout. “Meh, you’re no fun” he whines, but gets up anyway, because it’s obviously not true that Steve is no fun, and he’s already willing to go wherever this man is going to take him.

When they step outside the pub, there is a pleasing air blowing, not too muggy considering the hot day. The sky is clear and full of stars, the streets almost empty due to the late hour.

“I’ve always loved this place” Steve comments while they’re walking. There is a subtle distance between them, and Tony doesn’t feel like closing it, since Steve looks like someone who would take things slow.  
Tony actually doesn’t mind it. He’s interested in the man, and for once in his life he’s repeating himself that he’s determined to make it work.

“Yeah?” he replies smiling at him.

Steve nods. “Since I was a kid,” he explains. “I would come here with my mom, spent a lot of time looking for shells” he looks in the distance, where the sea stretches. “She would pierce them and make jewels out of them. I may still have a necklace or something” Steve smiles at his own memory, and Tony joins him, feeling warm at the sweet way Steve is remembering the moment.

“I would love to see these jewels, one day” Tony says, and it strikes his own self that he’s already talking about some future day with a man he met that very day.

Steve doesn’t seem to mind. “I would love it too” he indeed replies, flashing him another bright smile.

They arrive in front of the hotel, and there is an instant in which Tony wonders if something is going to happen. But then Steve pushes his hands in his pockets, distancing himself a little.  
He cocks his head. “Well- good night” he wishes sheepishly.

Tony smiles back, actually not feeling stung at Steve’s shyness. He suddenly feels the certainty that they got time for things to develop in the most right way.  
“Good night” he wishes too. Then, when he’s about to step in the hall of the hotel, he throws a quick glance behind him, and grins contently when he spots Steve’s figure still looking at him outside.

***

Mary has been doing crossed words the whole morning. She’s sitting under the umbrella, her bright eyes focused on the paper between her small hands.

Steve looks at her intently, ponders if it’s right of him to bother her or if he should pick up the book he brought with him and start reading it. He makes his look wander around the beach, casually stretching his eyes some seats ahead, just to see if he’s gonna spot some familiar face. At last, he works up the courage.

“Mary” he calls with nonchalance, trying to keep his voice uninterested.

Mary turns to look at him frowning. “Yeah, pop?” she asks. Her gaze makes Steve self conscious, and he feels like a teenager.

He clears his throat. “Aren’t you- why don’t you ask your friend to go swim with you?” he bubbles shrugging. “That girl you were playing with yesterday” he trails.

Mary opens her mouth with understanding. “Oh, you mean Morgan? Yeah, later I’ll ask her” she replies, before turning her focus back on her words game.

Steve tightens his lips, and he fidgets uncomfortably on his beach chair. “Yeah, but-“ he tries again. “It’s very hot, and the water is so clear and refreshing- why don’t you ask her now?” he insists.

The girl looks at him again frowning deeper. “I can come with you to ask her” he offers, and at that Mary parts her lips, before giggling loudly.

“You just want to see Morgan’s daddy” she calls out in the middle of her laughter.

Steve blushes deeply. “What-? No!” he scoffs. “Mary, don’t be rude, that’s not at all what I-“

“You’re very subtle” she mocks with a knowing smirk.

“And you’re a big mouth” he claps back while Mary keeps on giggling. He stays quiet for a couple of seconds, waiting for the little girl to give him her response.

“Alright” she announces eventually. “I think I’m gonna go ask Morgan to take a swim with me” she grins. “Wanna come with me?”

Steve chuckles and ruffles her hair with affection. “Thank you” he whispers on her head.

They walk to Tony and Morgan’s beach spot, Mary’s even putting on a scene, tugging him by his hands, complaining out loud that she wants to play with her friend. Steve pretends to be slightly annoyed.

He spots Tony laying on his belly like the day before, his tanned muscles stretching, the curve of his back quite inviting as it leads to his toned ass. Steve turns away his gaze.

“Morgan!” Mary calls, and the other girl beams at her. Tony props himself on his elbows, frowning at first, but then grinning widely when he notices Steve.

“Hey!” he greets, still laying on the beach chair.

Steve swallows at the joy on his face, suddenly feeling content too. “I’m sorry to bother you” he apologises. “Mary wanted Morgan to go swimming with her.”

Tony smiles at him. “Yeah, no problem” he assures. “I was about to go for a dip too.” He stands up, all gorgeous in his electric blue swim-trunks, and he stretches. Steve notices the v of his pelvis, but once again reminds himself to avert his eyes. Tony is going to drive him insane.

“Will you join us too?” Tony asks once he’s finished with his stretching. “Or you gonna take advantage of me and make me babysit the kids?”

Steve laughs at his smirk. “If you’ll have me, I wouldn’t mind to come too” he confesses.

They approach the shore, the two girls jumping with joy and chasing each other, while he and Tony walks slowly side by side. “It’s a very nice day” Steve comments, mostly because he has no idea what to say.

Tony seems to be at a loss of words too. “It is, yeah” he indeed replies.

Mary is the first one to run into the waters, splashing around with her lean legs, and she grabs Morgan’s hand to join her. They both go underwater and laugh when they resurface, holding hands and swaying their legs to float.

“It’s so cold!” Morgan yells with a giggle.

“Cold! Cold! Cold!” Mary chants back, but they keep on swimming anyway, refreshed by the cold water.

“Makes me regret coming” Steve bubbles when he first steps into the water. It is indeed very cold, and he feels his ankles shivering at it.

Tony rolls his eyes benevolently. “Oh come on, army guy” he teases. “Can’t you handle some cold water?” He steps further, overtaking Steve, his legs slowly disappearing under the water.

Steve looks at him less shyly, now that Tony cannot catch him staring. His gaze drops on Tony’s lower back again, at the edge of the water almost framing it, and he feels the urge to grab it.

Tony turns back in that moment. “Come on!” he calls again, oblivious to Steve checking him out.  
He keeps on moving forward, but this time going backward, his front turned to Steve. He smiles, as the sun hits his chest and dark hair, making it shine. His eyes are bright too, and a whirl of fresh air makes a curl fall on his forehead, and he looks so beautiful that Steve’s breath catches in his throat.

Tony reaches out with his arms. “You’re gonna abandon me like this?” he teases again.

Steve feels like in a trance, his gaze firm on Tony’s figure, so pretty in the clear sky blurring in the blue sea. He reaches out too, and he grabs Tony’s hands with a bit of uncertainty, but Tony doesn’t even flinch at that, just tugs him along, until the edge of the waters covers them over their mid chest.  
They stop, since the two little girls prefer to swim where they are able to still touch the ground with their feet.

“See?” Tony points out. “Not that bad, right?”

For a brief moment, neither of them lets go of each other’s hands. Steve focuses on the sensation of Tony’s hands entwined with his, calloused over his own soft skin. He likes it.

“Quite nice” he comments with a grin, and he smoothers his thumb over Tony’s wrist. He can spot Tony shivering at that, his gaze growing more focused on him.

He could tug a little bit more strongly and Tony would be in his arms. He’s really contemplating the thought, when a splash of water makes him shake his head in confusion. Mary has swum underwater and is now between them, laughing with her mouth open.

“Mary!” he reproaches, turning to look at Tony to apologise for his daughter’s manners, but Tony doesn’t seem to mind. He’s laughing too, picking up the little girl out of the water, while she screams and moves her feet in the air.

“Who wants to jump?” Tony asks playfully.

“Me! Me!” Mary replies with another yell, and Tony carefully lets her go up in the air, and she falls back in the waters with a squeaky giggle.

“Again! Again!” she begs when she resurfaces, and Morgan joins her in her chant.

“Me too, daddy!” she asks.

Tony chuckles along with them, takes them both in his arms, and makes them flop in the water with more splashes.

Steve looks at the three of them, a grin he didn’t even realised he had on his face, while he looks at the way Tony’s eyes crinkle with laughter, how the corners of his lips stretch with joy. 

“Tony!” Mary screams circling the man’s back with her arms and legs, like a little monkey. The fact that his own daughter is comfortable with messing around with Tony makes Steve’s chest clench with another wave of happiness.  
He almost worries he could ruin the charming scene if he joined their game, but Tony apparently doesn’t think the same.

“Steve!” he calls him out loud. “Come save me! These two scary creatures have attacked me!”  
He pretends to try and free himself from the two little bodies hanging on him, Mary closing her arms around his shoulders, and Morgan tugging at his arm to make him fall into the water.

Steve laughs. “Here I come!” he shouts back, and pulls lightly at Morgan’s ankles, as she yells with an high pitched tone. Mary lets go of Tony’s back to come rescue her friend, and she attacks Steve instead, trying to free Morgan.

At last Steve pretends to succumb to their strength, and falls into the water with his whole body, splashing around and mocking a drowning. 

“We won! We won!” Mary shouts cheerfully, while Morgan jumps around her, splashing playfully.

“Aw, Steve” Tony whines once Steve takes his head out of the water. “We lost” he pouts.

Steve swims lazily towards him, and feeling a little bold he encircles Tony’s middle with an arm, picking him up. Tony widens his eyes with surprise, but Steve notices he’s trying to hide his amusement.

“We lost?” Steve repeats with a raised eyebrow, tightening his grab. “I don’t know, it looks to me like I did save you in the end” he looks into Tony’s eyes and his slightly parted lips, and it would be so easy to close the distance and kiss him right and there.

Tony seems to be waiting for it too, but at the last moment Steve changes his mind and makes Tony fall into the water, mimicking the same game the man was previously doing with the little girls.

Steve laughs loudly when Tony comes back to the surface, his hair sticking around messily, his eyes glaring. Steve chuckles even more, while Tony makes an outraged face, and starts splashing him too, affronted by what has just happened.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry” Steve bubbles trying to avoid Tony’s rage.

Tony chuckles too. “Steve Rogers” he glares. “You son of a-“

“ _Daddy_!” Morgan’s reproach comes clear between them, and they both turn to look at the little girl, standing right with her hands on her hips. They both laugh at her righteousness, and before they can realise it, they are all splashing each other again, four kids instead of just two.

***

When Tony offered Steve and Mary to come with them for an ice cream, he had actually feared for an instant that Steve would refuse. But Steve had nodded firmly, accepting the offer right away, so now they are waiting for their turn outside of a ice-cream parlor.  
The girls are impatient, they keep running around with loud screams, still enthusiast because of the fun of the day.

Steve flashes a scolding look to his daughter. “Mary” he warns. “Behave.” His resolute tone makes the girl stop and duck her head.

“Yeah, I’m sorry, pop” she apologises.

Tony giggles. “Oh, let them be” he tells Steve. “As long as they do not annoy other people.”

Steve gives him a lopsided smile. “Yeah, I always worry with her” he confesses. “People look at her with a judging face. She’s not the typical five year old child, and not everyone is comfortable with that.” He tightens his lips. “I don’t want her to feel judged, you know.”

Tony nods. He does know. He was pretty similar to Mary when he was her age, always eager with knowing more, resulting annoying to whoever was around him, so he gets Steve’s concern.  
“It doesn’t bother me, if that’s what worries you” he says with a reassuring smile.

Steve relaxes. “Thank you” he says softly. “Sometimes she has to actually manifest all the energy stored inside her brain.”

When it’s finally their turn, Morgan and Mary take a large chocolate ice cream, and Tony already dreads about the moment he’s gonna have to wash away the stains on Morgan’s dress.

Steve takes a vanilla ice cream, while Tony takes a smoothie. They decide to stroll along the shore, the two girls always some steps ahead them, exchanging spoons of ice cream even though they took the same one.

“You know,” Tony says, looking at his daughter giggling carelessly. “I’m happy she got a friend.”  
He takes a sip from his smoothie, then adds: “She’s not really extrovert, and I hate not being able to help her with that.”

He looks down at his own shoes while he walks, mostly to avoid Steve’s eyes. Morgan has always been a sensitive issue to him. He loves her with his entire heart, and would literally do anything in his capacity to make her happy. But there are things that he simply cannot change.  
Morgan is shy, really reserved. She’s smart and bright, and she helps him with his projects, always asks him when she doesn’t get something, always prompts her ideas to him. But she’s one of those children who do not really talk if not asked. Outside of scientific matters, she doesn’t speak her mind. She looks at him with wide eyes during dinner, and Tony gets by her glinting look that she wants to say something, but if he doesn’t ask, then she won’t say anything.

It pains him to realise she doesn’t have a lot of friends. One thing they do not have in common is their liveliness. Tony is always the first one to initiate conversations, and he rarely shuts up. Morgan probably took her social skills from her mother. Pepper never was one to meddle into someone else’s affairs.

“Yeah?” Steve asks, his voice soft.

Tony nods. “If Mary didn’t talk to her first, she probably would have spent these two past days all by herself” he mumbles. Then, because he feels like he has to say it, he looks at Steve with a small smile and says: “Thank you.”

Steve shakes his head at his gratefulness. “You don’t have to thank me” he states. “Mary is not one to have many friends either. Kids do not always like her attitude” he grimaces. “She got in many troubles because of that.”

Tony laughs lightly, and he drinks again. “Well, then it’s a luck they found each other” he points out with a grin. The two girls really seem to get along, and they are now holding hands while strolling. Their heads nicely contrast with each other, blonde and brunette hair ruffled by the fresh air of the night.  
Tony suddenly chuckles, shaking his head with the stupidity of his thought.

“What is it?” Steve asks curiously. He looks at him with a smirk, already joining Tony’s laughter even though he doesn’t know what Tony is thinking about.

“Nothing” Tony says wetting his lips, but Steve presses on.

“Oh, come on!” he whines. “You cannot laugh like that, and then not tell me what is it. Are you making fun of me?” he inquires.

Tony shakes his head firmly. “I just-“ he trails. “I just thought that it’s kinda funny if you think about it” he blurts out, his eyes still resting on the girls ahead of them.

Steve follows his gaze and stares at the kids too. “What is funny?” he asks again.

“We sort of switched kids” Tony finally states, and chuckles at his own words. “I mean-“ he bubbles. “Look at your daughter, so lively and loud, just like me. And look at _my_ daughter, shy and quiet and all of that, like you.”

Steve’s eyebrows narrow, then he laughs loudly too. “Oh my god” he exclaims. “You cracked the code! Are you sure they didn’t switch the babies when they were born?” he jokes.

His laughter makes the girls turn around. “Hey! Why are you laughing behind our backs?” Mary asks with a frown, and that makes him and Steve laugh even more.

“Daddy, it’s not nice to laugh at people” Morgan says too.

“I know, I know!” Tony apologises putting up his hands as a sign of surrender, then he turns to Steve. “We don’t stand a chance against there two” he murmurs under his breath, and Steve hides a chuckle not to make the girls glare at them.

***

Days start to glide over them. They meet on the beach every morning, go swim together, play around and laugh with carelessness. Sometimes they even have lunch together, eating sandwiches at the bar near the shore, and then napping under the umbrella.

One day Tony and Morgan set their stuff on the beach chairs next to their spot, and Steve raises an eyebrow in confusion.

Tony shrugs. “They changed our seats” he explains. “Now we’re neighbours.”

Steve suspects Tony has something to do with that, but he doesn’t inquire any further, he just grins widely and greets them with joy. In this way the kids play together all day long, while he and Tony can spend more time together.  
It’s not like they do not already do that, though. They go eat ice cream almost every night, and without saying it out loud, this holiday has become a four people thing.

Steve really likes it. And he especially likes the fact that in the hottest hours of the day, while the girls are playing in the children play ground, he and Tony get to nap together, laying side by side even though they are resting on different chairs.

Tony is deeply sleeping, his mouth slightly parted, his chest heavy with breaths. His loose curls frame his stark cheekbones, and Steve would die to run a hand through his hair. He looks at Tony, and another smile blossoms on his face without him noticing it.

Nothing has yet happened between the two of them. It’s undeniable that there is something going on. Most of the times- always, actually- they use the excuse of their daughters wanting to be together to take advantage of it and spend time with each other too.

Steve feels incredibly at ease with him. He feels like he could tell Tony anything, confess even his darkest secrets. Tony looks at him with such reassuring eyes, and his voice is so sweet and such a relief to Steve’s fears and insecurities. He hasn’t felt like this in years, and he was sure he would not be able to feel like this anymore.

When his wife had passed away, he thought that was the end of it. That he was never going to be able to feel his heart beating for someone anymore. And he didn’t even want that. He wouldn’t let himself lay his eyes on anyone, not interested even in the slightest bit to knowing someone new, to take the risk to get affectioned to yet another person and then have his heart broken so painfully.

But Tony gives him all new sensations. There is nothing in him that makes Steve regret his past, or feel guilty for what he’s doing. Nothing like that. When he’s with Tony, Tony is all there is in his head. And seeing him playing around with Mary, joking and laughing with the two kids so lovingly, dedicating his whole self to them- that’s something that makes Steve’s heart flutter.

He lays his eyes on his long figure, his slim waist and narrow hips. Tony’s wearing yellow swim-trunks, that day. Steve has discovered Tony has kind of an obsession with it. He’s got swim-trunks in all possible colors, and the shades are so bright that they almost seem to glow against his tanned skin. He’s beautiful all over.

Steve suddenly feels the need to immortalise the sight. It’s been a lot of time since he has drawn something for the pure joy of it, but his hand hitches with the anticipation, and he doesn’t want to suppress this burst of inspiration, so he takes a sketchbook and a pencil out of his backpack and sits comfortably on his chair. He finds a blank page, and his heart thrums in his ears when he puts the pencil on the paper.

He feels like a creep, staying there watching Tony sleeping and drawing him while he’s unconscious, but something tells him that Tony wouldn’t mind the attention.

He tightens his lips and puts himself to work. He’s a little out of practice, or maybe it’s just because he’s nervous he’s not going to make Tony’s face right, because he has to restart the drawing a couple of times, before finally making the shape in the right way.  
He cheers in his mind, and goes on drawing, contently looking at the piece as it starts taking life under his pencil. Tony has such a perfect bone structure that it’s truly a pleasure to Steve to impress it on paper, and he’s not a little bit annoyed by the fact that he has to look more minutely at Tony’s features to get them right.

After around half an hour, he’s satisfied with the result. The Tony on paper is looking soft and adorable in his sleep. Hell, it’s obviously not as beautiful as the real Tony, _that_ Steve knows, but it’s kinda close, and it’s just something Steve wants to keep to himself to always remember these nice days they spent together.

He puts he sketchbook back, and he lays down again on the chair, still keeping his look on the man sleeping next to him. He would like so _so_ much to trace his cheeks with a finger, to cup his face, to lay his lips on Tony’s soft ones.

“You’re a watcher, huh?” Tony blurts out, his eyes still closed, and Steve jumps up caught in his staring.

Tony draws his lips in a smirk, half opening his eyes. “Did I scare you?” he asks grinning.

Steve tries to even out his panting breath, and glares at Tony. “Yes” he mutters. “You did.”

Tony laughs. “Well, I’m not the one who kept on looking while I was asleep. You know that’s creepy, right? People file restraining orders against this shit.”

Steve swallows guiltily, already feeling his cheeks heating up, and he wonders in the back of his mind if Tony would get angry at him if he knew Steve even drew him.

“I’m sorry” he mutters mortified. He lowers his gaze and Tony bursts out laughing.

“I’m kidding” he calls. “God, Steve, I’m really kidding.” He reaches out with an hand and takes Steve’s one.

Steve’s breath catches, and his eyes are immediately on Tony’s face. Tony is smiling comfortably. “I like it” he says slowly.  
Steve tilts his head. “You watching me” Tony explains. “A little awkward, perhaps, but it really bloats my ego.”

Steve rolls his eyes with fondness. He doesn’t even think about it, when he reaches out for Tony’s cheek and cups it with his other hand, like he so wanted to do before.

Tony seems surprised at first, but he leans into his touch with easiness, and Steve caresses his skin with sweetness.

They’re still sitting one in front of the other, each of them on his own chair, their knees brushing against each other.

Tony closes his eyes, his eyelashes flutter and his lips part. The act makes Steve’s chest clench, and he brushes his thumb over Tony’s lips, just to feel the softness of it. Tony shivers quietly, even though it’s hot as hell, and he lets out a tiny whimper that sends sparks along Steve’s spine.

 _That’s it_ , Steve thinks. He could lean forward, he could finally kiss him. He could, he _could_. But there is something stopping him, maybe the stillness of the moment, maybe the calm he reads on Tony’s face, that he’s so scared to spoil with his own torments.

He lets his hand fall, and Tony’s eyes snap open, a wry look on him, probably feeling the loss of Steve’s touch.

Steve clears his throat. He tries to come up with something to say, something completely unrelated, like ‘we should go look for the girls’, or ‘wanna go for a dip?’ or even ‘I have to go to the toilet’. But nothing comes out of his mouth, Tony’s eyes way too piercing. He makes a wrenched face, and Tony smiles sweetly at that.

“Don’t worry” he says softly. “Really, I have no rush.”

Hearing it loud and clear suddenly frees his chest from a very heavy weight, and Steve lets out an exhale, smiling too. “Thank you” he murmurs.

Tony’s hand is still holding his, and Tony strokes it with affection. “Whenever you’re ready” he reassures him with another smile, and Steve thinks this is what love sounds like.

***

Tony suggests bowling night, and Mary and Morgan can’t stop thanking him for proposing such thing. They make faces at the ugly shoes the place gives them, but they tie each other’s ones anyway.  
Tony lives for soft moments like seeing Mary so eager to help Morgan out, and then his daughter reciprocating the favour makes him smile widely all by himself.

“So, listen here” Tony calls once they’ve reached their spot. “I propose a switch.”  
The kids look at him with hanging mouths and Steve giggles at their confusion. “Blonde kid, you’re with me” he orders Mary. “Maguna, you’re with the barbie man tonight.”

At the nickname Steve laughs loudly, and the sound makes Tony’s stomach do a flip-back, and he cheers in his mind for such an accomplishment.

“Yes, Tony!” Mary yells. “We’re gonna beat them to death” she bares out her teeth looking dangerous, and Tony ruffles her hair.

“Yep, kiddo, don’t let me down.” He throws a glance at Morgan to see if she’s comfortable with the situation, but Steve has already taken her by her hand, and he’s showing her how to move her wrist to make the throw be successful. She looks back with a resolute face and nods firmly.  
_Nothing to worry about_ , Tony calms himself.

They get in position, and Tony and Mary watch as Steve makes the first move. He throws the ball with precision, making most of the skittles fall down.

Tony groans. “ _Boring_ ” he comments, as Steve and Morgan cheer.  
“Mary, come here” he calls, and the girl looks at him in concentration. “Don’t kick your arm back too much when you do the throw. Let the ball slide slowly on the floor, you’ll take down more skittles” he warns.

Mary nods repetitively. “Got it” she states.

She picks up a ball with both her hands, probably because of the weight of it, and she throws it like Tony suggested. The ball slides for a couple of seconds before falling in the gutters beside the lane.

“No!” Mary complains, but Tony is immediately by her side.

“That’s not your fault” he comforts her. “It was the ball, it’s too heavy” he says.  
Steve rolls his eyes with a smirk, and Tony winks at him.

The next one to play is Morgan, and she manages to take down a couple of skittles. Steve high fives her with a cheer, and the girl giggles with joy.

“Mary” he says pretending to be outraged. “We’re gonna have our revenge.”  
He calibrates his throw and he actually compares Steve’s turn. “Yes!” he gloats with Mary.

The following turns it becomes clear that it’s actually a competition between him and Steve. The girls seem to find the ball too heavy, and except a couple of lame throws, they mostly make the ball fall in the gutters by the sides.

Steve and Morgan still have an advantage though, since Steve is apparently extremely skilled even at bowling. In any other case, Tony would be mad for the fact that he’s losing, but right now, looking at Steve making flawless throws and then cheering with his own daughter, gives Tony a very pleasant sensation.  
Morgan is on cloud nine, yanking herself around Steve’s legs while he plays, screaming with laughter when Steve points out that they’re winning.

“Yes, daddy! We’re beating you” she chuckles sticking her tongue out at Tony, before throwing her arms around Steve’s neck.

Tony pretends to grunt, actually beaming at the sight of his little girl having fun in such a lovable way.  
“Mary” he calls yet again at the blondie who’s pouting next to him. “Look at this” he warns, and without even putting too much effort in it he throws the ball and he actually gets a strike.  
Mary screams loudly right away, running around with her hands in her hair, as Morgan complains and says it’s not fair.

Steve looks impressed, and Tony is feeling kinda silly, when he passes by him and leaves a smack on Steve’s ass with the back of his hand. “Try to top that, sweetheart” he teases.

The flirty tone seems to have quite an effect on Steve, since his neck and ears flush with it, and his eyes widen. Tony is already wondering if he might apology for his boldness, when Steve goes to pick up a ball too, and subtly leans into Tony’s ear. “I’d rather top _you_ , actually” he whispers, then he pretends nothing happened at all and gets to his position again.

Tony’s heart races miles, his lower abdomen suddenly interested in Steve’s low voice, and he has to swallow thickly and shake himself to remember they’re still in public and no, he cannot grab Steve’s shirt and push his mouth on him.

Steve’s next throw doesn’t get a strike, but it’s still pretty good, and his team wins anyway. Morgan looks very pleased by their victory, keeping on jumping up and down around Steve. He picks her up and makes her sway around while they both chant “we won, we won!”

Mary is pouting next to Tony, making faces at Steve and Morgan’s happiness.  
“Aw, kid” Tony says, sitting next to her. He ruffles her light hair and gets her to smile. “We’re people of science” he shrugs. “When we don’t succeed first try, it just means we have to try harder next time.”  
She tightens her lips in doubt, and Tony nods firmly. “So when you finally win, you’re gonna appreciate that even more.”

His words actually comfort the girl, and she stands up on the spot, reaching out with her hand to grab Morgan’s one. She shakes it. “Nice play” Mary says resolutely. “Congratulations for your victory.”  
Morgan replies to the shake with the same enthusiasm, and they both hug once they’re done.

“You’re a wise man, Tony Stark” Steve comments bumping his shoulder.

Tony smirks. “Sometimes I don’t fuck up” he shrugs.

Steve doesn’t say anything further, but he gives him a knowing smile.

While they come back to the hotel, Morgan insists on sitting on Steve’s shoulders, and none of them has the heart to deny her so, so Steve picks her up, while she chats from there with Mary, who walks along with her nose pointing up.

Tony walks holding her hand, and there is a very annoying voice inside his mind which reminds him that he has another hand, and Steve has one too, and it would be easy for them to hold each other, but Tony decided not to do this in front of the little girls, so he keeps his arm along his body, shutting down that voice.

They part ways when the alleys lead to their different rooms. Morgan leaves a wet kiss on Steve’s cheek while he puts her down. “Love you” she bubbles with a grin, and Tony can clearly see how the thing makes Steve happy.

The man indeed beams, and his eyes immediately fall on Tony. Tony smiles back. Once again, grateful for the fact that his daughter seems to like Steve as much as he does.

“Good night little hurricane” he says to Mary, leaving a kiss on the top of her head, and she chuckles at it.

“I love you too” she says, imitating Morgan’s confession.

Tony ruffles her hair once again. “I know that, why would I choose you for my team, otherwise?” he winks.

When it’s time for he and Steve to say goodbye to each other, they look like shy teenagers, none of them knowing how to act around the other. Tony sighs contently. “I had fun” he admits.

“Me too” Steve replies right away.

“Looking forward to having more fun” Tony adds, and he’s not really sure if he’s hinting at something else, or if he just really likes spending time this way.

Steve chuckles lightly. “I do too” he says, then he leans forward and kisses his cheek, leaving Tony kinda dazed. “Good night, Tony” he wishes, before turning away with Mary by his side.

Tony definitely doesn’t reach for his own cheek with his fingers.

***

“It’s too heavy!” Morgan complains, and Mary backs her.

“Yeah, it is” she whines.

They’re pushing a paddle boat they have rented for the afternoon in the water. It has a slide and the girls can’t wait to get on it.

“Alright” Steve concedes. “You can take your seat, me and Tony will move it.”

Tony pouts. “But it’s heavy to me too” he complains, and Steve shakes his head.

“Am I dealing with three children?” he scoffs fondly.

Tony sticks his tongue out at it, confirming his statement, but then he keeps on helping him anyway.

When he was younger, Steve and his wife would always rent one of these and pedal around, stopping in the middle of the sea where the water was clearer. He loved it. He would spend hours and hours drawing the sea, while his wife would lap around the boat.

He wondered if it was a good idea to do this with Tony too, pondering if the thought would make him feel guilty, but it actually only made him eager to suggest it to Tony, so he embraced the feeling and asked Tony to join him.

When the boat is finally not sinking anymore, they get on it with the two girls. For a while they pedal, just to distance themselves from the shore. The wind is fresh through their hair, and the sun is pleasant on their salted skin.

The sky is clear, not even a cloud in sight, and Steve spots Tony looking up, probably thinking the same. When Tony looks back, he stares at him too. “I love this” he comments. “I never took one of these.”

Steve looks around with a smile. “Yeah, it’s very peaceful” he states. They stop pedaling once they’re far off to sea, and Morgan and Mary hold hands while they jump in the water.

“It’s beautiful!” they both scream.

“We should go too” Steve proposes nodding at the girls.

Tony moves an hand. “You go, I’ll come in a sec.”

Steve shrugs but complies. He stretches his arms up in the air, relaxes his neck to prepare for a jump, then he falls in the sea with a swift precise movement. He laps for a moment, before grabbing the small stairs on the back of the boat and lifting himself up.

His hair are dripping water, as of his whole body. When he turns up his head he finds Tony staring at him with his mouth slightly parted. Steve wouldn’t want daring to say so, but he even looks faintly flushed.

“You’re a watcher too, apparently” he teases, and then he stretches again, just to see Tony’s reaction, and he’s pleasantly rewarded by a choked low groan from him.

“Not watching is impossible when you looking like that are involved” Tony claps back, still not averting his eyes from him.

Steve smirks smugly. “Yeah?” he raises an eyebrow. “And how do I look like?” he asks getting closer to Tony. He rests his hands on the back of a seat, his muscles flexing on purpose.

He notices Tony’s Adam’s apple when he swallows. “There are many thoughts in my mind right now, and I promise I cannot tell them while two minors are less then a metre around.”

Steve wets his lips with amusement, subtly intrigued by the change of path the afternoon is taking. He suddenly wishes for the girls to have remained on the beach, maybe he and Tony would have finally come up with something.

“That’s a shame” he comments. “But if you let me offer you dinner tonight, you can tell me all about these thoughts. No minors allowed.”

He’s been thinking about it lately, about having a night just for him and Tony. The only time they had just the two of them was during that first drink Tony offered him the day they met.  
But he managed to make the girls join a children club which is going to have a sleepover that night, so maybe he can finally have some time with Tony alone.

“Dinner, you say?” Tony repeats pretending to ponder the idea. “Yeah, I can free myself for it.” He flashes him a grin, and Steve feels once again the need to kiss it.

“Perfect, then” he sets for, eventually. “Now why don’t you join me for a dip, since I can see you’re a little flushed?” he asks smirking.

Tony groans theatrically, blushing a little more. “You’re a little shit, you know that, right?” he asks fondly. “Step aside, Pamela Anderson, and see how these things are done” he announces before jumping too.

***

Morgan is jumping on the bed while she talks at the phone, making her dark braids sway around at every up and down.  
“It was so fun, mommy! So _so_ fun!” she exclaims with her mouth open in a smile, and Tony grins by himself.

“Steve” Morgan says after a while, probably in response to Pepper’s question. Tony looks at her frowning, and bends an ear to hear what she’s talking about.

Another moment of silence then Morgan basically beams. “Oh, you would love him!” she blurts out. “Daddy loves him already.”

Tony’s eyes widen in discomfort. All this time he thought he was being subtle.

Morgan goes on. “He’s funny and pretty” she says. She stays quiet for a moment, listening to Pepper, then she laughs. “You’re always the prettiest, mommy!” she finally states.  
She turns to look at Tony. “Yeah he’s here, he’s pretty too right now” she bubbles. “They go out eating.”

Tony shakes his head vigorously, and he curses under his breath. That’s not at all how he planned to make Pepper know.

“Alright, love you” Morgan chirps, before handing Tony the telephone. “Mommy wants to talk you” she explains.

Sighing, Tony grabs the phone. “Hey Pep” he greets.

“Did you already seduce the whole beach?” she jokes with a sweet tone.

Tony chuckles. “I would never. Last time I seduced someone, she put me in my place” he teases back, and grins when he hears Pepper laughing too.

“Tony” she calls softly.

“Pep” he replies.

She scoffs. “I’m glad you’re having fun” she admits fondly. “And Morgan sounds like she’s having fun too, so I’m seriously happy.”

Her words warm Tony’s chest and he smiles even though she cannot see him. “I’m happy too” he confesses.

“Don’t fuck things up this time” Pepper warns, already laughing by herself.

“Well, you know me” Tony shrugs. “That’s part of the package.” Then he adds: “Thank you, Pep.”

She’s probably smiling too when she says: “You know I’m always here for you, right? Be careful.”

Tony nods. “Bye, honey.” Then Morgan makes some gestures at him, swaying her hands and pointing with her fingers. Tony laughs. “Madame Secretary says she loves you three thousand, but I think she’s confused, since you’re way below that score.”

Pepper laughs loudly. “Tell her she’s always my favorite one” she instructs. “Bye, Tony.”

He sets the phone on the table with a smile. Things with Pepper might have not worked, but there is always going to be true affection between them, and what pleases him the most is that they do not have to fake to get along just for their daughter. The respect is real.

He turns to look at Morgan. “You snitched to mom about Steve?” he asks gaping, faking outrage.

Morgan widens her eyes. “Oops” she mumbles.

Tony gets closer to the bed, then chases her. “Now you get your punishment” he jokes, starting to tickle her belly, and Morgan shouts with laughter and tries to free herself from his grip.

“Let me go!” she giggles swaying her feet, but Tony doesn’t give up yet.

They kid around for a while longer, until Tony gets a glance of the hour. “ _Shit_ ” he mutters, then covers his mouth with an hand. “Don’t tell mom!” he begs, and Morgan puts a finger in front of her mouth too, shushing like it’s a secret within them.

Ruffling her hair one last time, Tony gets up and finishes dressing up. He chose a white shirt, not wanting to push things too much. He’s already feeling kinda nervous. This is finally a proper date, and he knows it’s going to define things between him and Steve. He really doesn’t want to fuck things up.

Steve comes pick him up dressed in light blue, and Tony can feel his heart dropping. He’s gorgeous.  
“You look good” Tony indeed points out.

Steve beams at him. “And you look great” he replies.

Tony smirks. “Yeah? Is this a competition, Rogers?” he teases, and Steve laughs as he leads him to their destination.

“You would win hands down” he says, and Tony feels once again way too lucky to have found himself such a man.

They get a nice table apart from the noise, and the dinner passes by well, among jokes and laughs and not so subtle looks.

“When my wife passed away,” Steve prompts after a while. “Mary was stil very young. Sometimes it pains me more to know she won’t have any real memory of her, more than what _I_ lost” he talks with a clear tone, fumbling around with his fork on the plate.

“She’s a very smart kid, she’ll never doubt her mother loved her” Tony reassures, and he reaches for Steve’s hand on the table. Steve accepts the touch with relief.

“I know” he admits. “I just wonder what it would have been like.”

Tony knows the feeling. Actually, in a slightly different way, but he often wonders how things would be if he and Pepper worked it out. He thinks Morgan understands what happened, she realises that something went wrong between her parents, but she never once made it look like that made her uncomfortable.  
Still, Tony guilts himself. But he and Pepper just had a very deep affection towards each other, and sometimes it’s enough, sometimes it’s not. They both deserved to fall in love.

“You feel the same, right?” Steve asks softly, almost reading Tony’s mind. He strokes Tony’s hand back and flashes him a smile. “I know that look. The ‘if’ look. Sometimes it never goes away.”

Tony’s jaw twitches as he looks back at Steve and quietly nods. He would like to add something, but he’s at a loss of words, Steve already said everything.

They leave the restaurant chuckling and tugging at each other, the happiness making Tony almost float.  
“We should go to the beach!” he suggests. “Please, let’s go to the beach.”

Steve accepts without any further begging, and when they reach the shore, Tony takes off his shoes and walks barefoot.  
“It’s cold” he points out.

Steve imitates him, and grabs Tony’s hand, holding it as they stroll. Having their fingers enlaced makes Tony smile widely, and Steve replies to his smile with another one.  
“I have something to show you!” Steve suddenly exclaims, letting go of Tony’s hand.

Tony pouts. “You let go of my hand” he states.

“Just a second, sweetheart” Steve warns, leaving a kiss on the top of Tony’s head. Then he reaches for his back pocket and pulls out a folded paper.  
“I made you something” Steve bubbles. “But don’t take me for a creep” he begs, handing Tony the paper.

Tony laughs. “That actually sounds like something a creep would say.”  
He unfolds the paper and looks at it with an awed expression. “Steve-“ he mutters. It’s a drawing of him sleeping, quickly sketched, but incredibly lively in its stillness. “This is-“ he fumbles.

“Yours” Steve replies. “It’s yours.”

Tony looks up at him, his heart pounding in his chest. “Thank you” he whispers. “I love it.”

Steve smiles sheepishly. “Well, I’m glad you like it” he says. “You know- I’ve been thinking about you a lot. I mean, we’re together basically every moment of the day, but I mean thinking in a different way. Not like thinking you in some way could be less nice than any another way, but-“

He never finishes his sentence, because Tony tugs at his shirt and kisses him. Steve whimpers on his lips, probably not expecting it, but he quickly readjusts to it, and kisses Tony back with enthusiasm. He encircles his arms around Tony’s waist, pulling him in his embrace, and Tony goes limp in his arms, parting his lips and welcoming Steve’s tongue in his mouth.

“Oh thank god” Tony mutters between relieved sighs, and Steve chuckles breathlessly. 

“Why so?” he asks, his lips red and swollen.

Tony kisses him again, makes his own tongue dart in Steve’s mouth. “I thought it would never happen” he confesses.

Steve brings an hand to his forehead, combs away one of Tony’s curls. “Better late than never” he states leaving a quick peck on Tony’s lips. He reaches down with his hands now, resting them in the middle of Tony’s back, drawing him even closer.  
“I think I wanted you since the first time I laid my eyes on you” he admits softly.

Tony melts between his arms. “Well-“ he smirks. “Then why don’t we find some place to be more comfortable?” he proposes. He looks down at Steve’s broad chest and adds: “And luckily less dressed.”

Steve laughs but agrees, and in a matter of some minutes they’ve left the beach.  
“Come to my room” Tony offers. “The kids are spending the night in the hotel anyway, in this way we can keep an eye on them.”  
Steve nods, but they both know they have something else in their minds rather than keeping an eye on the kids.

They make it to Tony’s room in a fumble, and Tony’s still locking the door when Steve is already trailing kisses along his throat. Tony moans softly, tugging lightly at Steve’s hair, keeping him on his neck.  
But Steve pulls away to remove his shirt with one swift movement, making Tony groan at the sight of his defined abs.

Steve scoffs. “You already saw all of this” he calls out, his hands hovering on Tony’s body.

“It’s different like this” Tony blurts out, helping Steve to take off his own shirt too. When his chest is bare too, Steve looks at him with awe in his eyes.

Tony raises an eyebrow. “You already saw all of this” he mocks back.

Steve rolls his eyes, tugging at his arms and putting his mouth back on Tony’s collar bones.  
“You’re right” he breathes on his skin. “It’s different like this.”

His low voice makes Tony shiver, and he pushes Steve on his bed, moving on it too to straddle his waist.  
He moans without any care when their hips crush against each other, and another whimper leaves his mouth when Steve grabs his ass.

“Another thing I kept thinking about” Steve confesses.

Tony chuckles at his earnestness, but his laugh dies in his throat when Steve rubs on him.  
“Oh god, throw away these damn pants immediately, Rogers” he commands with a slurred voice, and Steve meets his wishes right away.

By the time they are both naked, Tony doesn’t know why he waited so long for this to happen. Having Steve’s hands on him seems like all his body was ever meant for.

Steve looks starstruck too. He can’t stop leaving kisses on Tony, not leaving out even an inch of skin, and when he finally makes his way inside Tony, he swallows his moans with his own mouth.

Steve holds him like he’s all he ever wanted, touches him so delicately that Tony breaks at every touch, too eager for it, kissing Steve like he’s drowning and he’s desperately looking for air.

When they both spend themselves, they lay side by side. Steve throws an arm around Tony’s chest, a leg over his, and Tony curls with his back pressed to Steve’s chest, feeling drowsy but so joyful he could touch the sky just standing on his tiptoes.

“Thank you” Steve murmurs, leaving a kiss on Tony’s shoulder, still not able to draw his lips away from his skin.

Tony turns around to face him, and he strokes his cheek with fondness. “I’m so glad I accepted to take some free time for myself this summer” he murmurs with a smile.

Then, when Steve seems wandering with his mind on something else he kisses him quickly. “Hey” he calls. “You can stay here, tonight. The girls are away all the same, there is no need for you to go.”

Steve ponders his offer for a moment, then leans in and kisses him again. “Alright, I’m staying.”

They fall asleep in each other’s arms.

***

“So you’re _the_ Tony Stark” Steve comments trying to keep hold of his kite.

Tony makes a terrified face, probably thinking Steve is going to get angry at him, but Steve chuckles loudly. “Don’t worry, I’m not mad. I’m actually impressed my boyfriend is such a known business man.”

“Your boyfriend?” Tony asks with amusement.

Steve shrugs. “Looks like.”

He has found out about Tony that morning, reading the newspaper over breakfast. There was an article about the biggest companies of the moment, and in the corner of the page there was a picture of Tony, and a caption explaining his position in the society.

“I wanted to tell you” Tony mumbles. “But I didn’t want you to think I was bragging about it.”

Steve makes a surprised face. “ _You_? Bragging?” he mocks, and Tony playfully slaps his ass.

“Mine broke” Morgan complains as she hands out her kite, the string knotted and impossible to make it fly.

Steve squats next to her. “Take this” he offers handing his own. “Here, hold it in this way” he instructs showing Morgan how to do it. The girl quickly understands it, and when the kite is finally up in the sky again, she runs away to join Mary.

Steve stands up again, and when he turns he finds Tony already looking at him.

“You make me tear up like an old man” he whines.

“Which you almost are” Steve claps back fondly.

Tony shakes his head and gets closer to him. He slides an hand around Steve’s waist, plastering himself by his side.  
“I’m happy” Tony states. “And that’s because of you.”

Steve beams at him, feeling his chest filled with love, _so much_ love. It kinda scares him, it’s been so long. But Tony is worth the fear.

“Well- that makes us even then” he says. He leaves a kiss on Tony’s temple, hugs him even tighter.

“Yeah?” Tony asks pointing his nose up to look at him.

Steve nods quietly. He takes in the sight of the sky colliding with the sea, the colorful kites flying in the air, and the two kids laughing and chasing each other.

“I’m happy too” he says. “And that’s because of _you_.”

**Author's Note:**

> HERE!! WE!! GO!!
> 
> I've written the first paragraph in the middle of July, and I meant it for it to be a standalone drabble, but August has been very hot and I couldn't stop thinking about the boys on vacation.
> 
> I basically forced myself to write more than 10k words in one day (I'm not kidding, _actually_ in one day: my head still hurts) because I wanted to post it before September started. I still can't believe I did it.
> 
> SO, as always I hope you enjoyed the fic! I really had fun not writing angst for the first time in my entire life, I might consider doing this more often lol
> 
> Can't wait to read your opinions in the comments, it really matters to me!!! <3
> 
> Thank you for reading, hope you had a great summer even though all the mess that's happening in the world rn :/
> 
> You can find me on tumblr as [irontinystar](https://irontinystar.tumblr.com) where i also post my art!!! Bye :DD


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